STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3071

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE:    H.B. No. 2962

       S.D. 1

Honorable Colleen Hanabusa

President of the Senate

Twenty-Fourth State Legislature

Regular Session of 2008

State of Hawaii

Madam:

     Your Committees on Human Services and Public Housing and Education, to which was referred H.B. No. 2962 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

     The purpose of this measure is to appropriate funds for the implementation of the Safe Haven demonstration program in the County of Hawaii.

     Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by one private individual.  Testimony in opposition to this measure was submitted by the Department of Education.

     Your Committees find that offering youth safe, supportive, and enjoyable programs to participate in during non-school hours will help to promote increased self-esteem and positive social behaviors, and reduce the likelihood of risky conduct including experimentation with alcohol, drugs, and sexual activity.

     Your Committees have amended this measure by replacing its contents with that of S.B. No. 2822, S.D. 2, which is an omnibus non-school hours measure that provides for the following:

     (1)  An appropriation out of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds for non-school hour programs to be expended by the Department of Human Services;

     (2)  An appropriation for the Safe Haven demonstration program in the County of Hawaii;

     (3)  The establishment of a non-school hour activities task force; and

     (4)  A general fund appropriation for non-school hour activities and an educational specialist II position to coordinate the State's non-school hour programs.

     As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Public Housing and Education that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 2962, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 2962, S.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Public Housing and Education,

____________________________ NORMAN SAKAMOTO, Chair

____________________________ SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair